2.46pm: Tom here, hello. There are unconfirmed reports that Mark Hughes is not at the City Of Manchester Stadium and that Roberto Mancini is. We're looking into it, bear with us.

2.48pm: It's a good thing those reports were uncomfirmed ... Mark Hughes has just got off the team bus. Ignore what I just said.

2.48pm: Here's John Ashdown, who is ice cold in Aston Villa. "A huge cheer went up from the concourse behind the press box as Portsmouth's second went in. Villa will be hoping to put further space between themselves and Liverpool now. O'Neill has named the same side for the fourth consecutive game - and they've not conceded in the previous three, winning them all. Stoke give Tuncay and Big Mama Sidebe their third starts of the season in an attempt to halt their recent poor streak. And it's very, very cold."

2.55pm: The slight dent in staff means that the now traditional Saturday afternoon pick the score competition (does three weekends in a row make it a tradition? Let's just say it does for the sake of this) will be between just three of us, making it the Race To Six Quid. Six bloody quid. I may go home. I'll let you know the predictions of the three sports hacks hanging around the desk in a minute - just as soon as the games have kicked off and James Dart, who appears to be attempting to sneak an advantage by waiting until past 3pm to make his predictions, has put pen to paper.

3.01pm: Some news from Scotland: "Hamilton's Scottish Premier League match against Dundee United was postponed today just 15 minutes before kick-off after a freak snowstorm. There appeared no threat to the fixture until around 2.30pm when snow began to fall so heavily, it completely obscured the pitch markings. It showed little sign of abating and a decision to abandon the game was soon taken." There are those who played in that game in Barnsley (see above) who would be shaking their heads and tutting.

3.02pm: Mark Hughes is very much at the City Of Manchester Stadium. Unless he is on a blue-screen and is being super-imposed onto the pictures in front of me.

Which makes it the Race To Eight Quid, which isn't that much better, to be honest.

3.09pm:GOAL! QPR 1-1 Sheffield United (Creswell) the lead didn't last long there.

3.10pm: Half a chance for Blackburn. The on-loan Chelsea striker Di Santo fails to get enough on the ball though and Gomes saves easily.

3.10pm: Here's Rafa Benitez on that earlier defeat against Portsmouth: "We were a good team in the first half and the sending off changed everything. We had some chances, we should have scored, we were controlling the game and everything changed with Mascherano. Now we have to hope we can win our next game." That really is a dreadful result for Liverpool.

3.11pm: There's a penalty in Manchester. Bellamy gets into a tussle with Nosworthy and goes over a bit softly. Still Mark Hughes won't mind.

3.13pm:GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Sunderland (Tevez) Sunderland's players were pushing and shoving on the edge of the box to delay the penalty, but the Argentinian puts it straight down the middle to score.

3.13pm: That's me buggered for the Race To Eight Quid then. Again.

3.14pm: More trouble for Watford in the Championship where they have just gone a goal down against Peterborough United, via Lee Frecklington in the ninth minute.

3.15pm: Stoke have started well against Villa, settling down against Villa who are looking to cement their newfound Top Four status. Meanwhile, it's Charlton 0-1 Millwall in what's been described as a "highly charged derby".

3.17pm:GOAL! Manchester City 2-1 Sunderland What a game so far in Manchester. Reid whipped the ball over and John Mensah was there to nod it into the corner.

3.20pm: Bristol City are 1-0 up against Reading, thanks to a penalty. Meanwhile Evan Fanning has attempted to make The Race To Eight Quid the Race To A Tenner but, since his predictions came in after two Manchester City goals, the reaction of the desk is mostly in the sweary and the negative. Here are his predictions, for what they're worth (and they're not worth £8, it would seem).

Gera has just had a fierce shot saved by Kuszczak. An incredible save.

3.21pm: John Ashdown's fingers are so cold, he's not in the mood to be expansive in his missives from Villa Park. "Villa a little twitchy early on, but they seem to have settled now. Dunne might have done better with a close-range header, but got it completely wrong. Still cold."

3.22pm: A joke. Of sorts. "Mensah? Could he be deemed the most intelligent player in the league?" writes Colin Flint, who might wish I hadn't put his name on that.

3.22pm:GOAL! Fulham 1-0 Manchester United Mistake from Scholes, who concedes possession to Danny Murphy. He belts it from 25 yards, it bounces in front of the keeper, and goes in. And that's Darty out of that prediction race.

3.24pm: "It was 1-0 and seeing as I've predicted 3-2 I think I should be allowed in," emails a plaintive Fanning. Go on then. The Race To The Tenner is on!

3.26pm: A stat with which to lose friends: "The fastest goal in England was scored by (Ryan Jarvis) (Leyton Orient) at Walsall after 1 minutes and 10 seconds".

3.27pm:GOAL! Manchester City 2-2 Sunderland What the eff is going on in Manchester? Jordan Henderson has just smashed the ball into the back of the net. City are all over the place. Meanwhile, the suspicion on the desk is that Fanning knows something.

3.28pm: A good chance for Blackburn. Benni McCarthy clipped the ball into Di Santo. He took it on his chest, swivelled and hit the ball at the goal. Gomes claims it at the second attempt.

3.29pm: Rooney and Gibson have both had shots from the halfway line against Fulham. No one knows why.

3.31pm: A joke to get Colin Flint off the hook. This is much, much, much worse. "I thought The Mensiah was due to be celebrated on Friday, he seems to have come a little early this year," writes Robin Hazlehurst. I would say ho-ho-hos Robin Hazlehurst but, if he's laughing at that, he's been at the sherry.

3.35pm: Scholes is having something of a shocker so far. He's been giving the ball away all over the pitch, which allows Zamora a chance, which he wastes. At Stoke, it was Sidibe who got the ball into the net for the visitors. I'm still yet to understand why it was ruled out.

3.37pm:GOAL! Manchester City 3-2 Sunderland Bellamy runs onto a through-ball after the referee allowed Manchester City the advantage after a foul. He sidefoots the ball home to make this game the must-see match of the weekend. Must-see if you like goals, that is. If you like defending, best steer clear.

3.43pm: Downing has smacked a ball just wide of the post at Villa v Stoke, meanwhile Ireland has just put a fantastic ball across the box which bisects the two City players in the box. Kenwyne Jones is on for Malbranque there, too.

3.45pm: It's Charlton 2-2 Millwall, where Nadjim Abdou has just been sent off for the visitors. Don't go down to south London tonight, is my advice.

3.46pm:GOAL! Blackburn 0-1 Tottenham Tom Huddlestone just hit a poor shot from a Crouch knockdown. The ball was kept in, crossed, and Crouch knocked it home (though the striker did appear to be all over the defender in front of him). That's good news for everyone in the Race To A Tenner And that's half time there, and half time at Craven Cottage too.

3.48pm: Well, good news for everyone except Fanning but, since he's on the borders of legality with his late predictions, no-one minds much about him.

3.54pm: Here's John Ashdown at Villa Park: "Half time here, and after a James Milner-inspired purple patch, Villa have gone off the boil somewhat. The loss of Heskey to what looked like an ankle injury has disrupted their rhythm and Stoke might be taking a lead into the break, had Sidebe not fouled Warnock in order to bullet a header past Friedel. Definitely time for a cuppa and, with any luck, some sort of savoury pastry-based hot snack."

4.00pm: Mark Hughes must be doing his nut. Battling for his job, his side are embroiled in a five-goal game so far. It hardly helps him argue that his defence are not, as everyone else thinks, a shambles. If they can finish the game without conceding any more he has a chance but the rumours are that, no matter the result today, his goose is heading ovenwards.

4.04pm: "It's a balmy minus 16C here in Shenyang, China," writes Shane Wiltshire, who is probably the coldest Clockwatch reader so far. I spent Tuesday night in Helsinki, where it was also minus 16C. I can confirm that any brass monkeys in those kinds of temperatures are, more or less, ball-less.

4.05pm:GOAL! Fulham 2-0 Manchester United Zamora smashes the ball into the net on the half volley. Great news if you're a Chelsea or Fulham fan, bad news if you're in the Race To A Tenner or are a Manchester United fan.

4.07pm: Here's John Ashdown, warmed by a bellyfull of suasage roll, on that disallowed Stoke goal. "Press room consensus seems to be that the Sidebe 'goal' should have stood - I'm not 100% convinced. Warnock knew he was in trouble and was looking for the foul, but Big Mama certainly made contact with the defender. Certainly would have stood in the 70s."

4.09pm: Tony Pulis has gone mental at the referee about that goal, Sidebe has done the same. Here, incidentally, is Gary Naylor: "News of Scholes' error at the Cottage reminds me that I think he's finished - understandably so at his age. Is Steven Gerrard finished too? Okay, he's often injured, but players play through injuries all the time. Any other big names finished? (Apart from Petr Cech, obviously)." The Charlton brothers look done, to be honest.

4.11pm: The latest from Ibrox is that Rangers are 1-0 against Motherwell, however the visitors are beginning to get back into the game. It's gone wrong for Millwall at the Valley, where it's now Charlton 3-2 Milwall after a 20 yard screamer.

4.14pm: At the Blackburn v Tottenham game, Benni McCarthy has just somehow contrived to miss a sitter. Six yards out, with almost the entire goal to aim at, he hit the ball at Gomes's legs. It bounced across the goal, onto the post, and into Di Santo's path ... who also missed.

4.17pm: Shaun Wright-Phillips has gone off injured for Manchester City, while Clea Nellist is bucking the cold trend and is luxuriating in tropical climes in ... Sheffield. "It's 18C here at Sheffield Archives! That's kind of averagely cold for us here. Fortunately, we're way below averagely busy which means I can keep an eye on MBM. And keep the door closed and the draft out." 18C! Luxury.

4.18pm: We have a new coldest man. Mark in Moscow writes: "I think we can beat China; we're watching in Moscow and it's a cool minus 23C right now." Ouch. Tuncay has just made a great run for Stoke but couldn't finish.

4.20pm: Berbatov and Da Silva have been brought on for Manchester United as they attempt to fight back against a counter-attacking Fulham. The striker just got to the byline, cut it back to Rooney, who rolled it across to Valencia who blazed over.

4.21pm: Agbonlahor has just had a great chance blocked by Higginbotham at Villa v Stoke. In Manchester, Gareth Barry has gone down clutching his head.

4.21pm:GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Stoke Carew, on for Heskey, has just put the ball into the back of the net.

4.22pm: Take that Fanning! GOAL! Manchester City 3-3 Sunderland A diving header from Kenwyne Jones.

4.26pm: Here's John Ashdown with news of that goal at Villa Park: "Young with space down right, pinpoint cross, Carew, between two defenders, can't miss. A shame for Stoke, they'd been bossing it since the break."

4.27pm: Robbie Keane has replaced Jermain Defoe for what may be the last time, if rumours of his imminent demise at Tottenham are to be believed. Keane's that, is; not Defoe's.

4.28pm:GOAL! Manchester City 4-3 Sunderland Santa Cruz bags his second, after good work from Gareth Barry.

4.29pm: What on earth is going on at that Manchester City game. If it's entertainment that Mark Hughes's bosses want, then they can't sack him after this.

4.30pm: Fulham are using the man the bloggers love to hate, Bobby Zamora, as their outlet as they look to counter-attack against Manchester United. However the visitors are getting on top, pegging the home side back. One goal, you sense, and Manchester United could be in the ascendancy.

4.32pm: Michael Owen, who has done nothing today, has been taken off to be replaced by Danny Welbeck. John Carew's celebration for his goal, by the way, involved him kicking the corner flag into the crowd. Sounds quite exciting.

4.32pm: "Surely it is the quality of the cold that should count, not the quantity," writes Phil Keegan, in a tropical minus 6C Austria. "Seeing as Vienna was voted number one city in the world for quality of life this year (though obviously not by anyone who actually lives here) surely the minus 6C here is better than minus 23C in crappy old Moscow, which was about 150th on the aforementioned list?"

4.34pm: GOAL! Fulham 3-0 Manchester United! A long ball to Zamora, who chested it down to Damien Duff, and the Irishman has volleyed it past the keeper. Is this more of an upset than Liverpool losing? Probably.

4.36pm: Talking of that Liverpool loss, Portsmouth's new manager is desperate for new players as he'll lose a big chunk of his squad to the African Cup of Nations. New signings might be tricky,given the club's transfer ban - but it's not going to stop him."I can only tell what will happen on the pitch, because off the pitch I don't know," said Avram Grant. "I am positive by nature so I want to believe it will be OK."It's more easy to fight on the pitch and we will have a long battle until the end of the season. I said I am positive we can make the team stronger. This squad is a a good squad but we need players to make this squad stronger because also we have the African Cup of Nations."I will never understand what they are doing with this in the middle of the season, coming back from heat to the cold. So we need players."

4.37pm: Stoke have just missed a good chance but Leeds have scored what might be a late winner against Southampton. A cracking shot into the top corner to make it Leeds 1-0 Southampton. Another late goal for them.

4.38pm: Manchester City will make a statement about the future of the club at 7.30pm, according to Jeff Stelling on the telly. Interesting.

4.38pm: It's now Rangers 4-1 Motherwell, sorry lost track of that one.

4.41pm: A disallowed goal at Blackburn v Tottenham. I don't know who had it disallowed. But I do know it's disallowed. Is that any good to you? No.

4.42pm:GOAL! Blackburn 0-2 Tottenham Crouch was put through and, in a one-on-one with the keeper, he tucked the ball away. Who cares about that disallowed goal, eh?

4.43pm: "Are you factoring in wind chill?" asks Niall Harden (I'm not) before setting a disturbing scene. "I'm half way up Cave Hill in Belfast wearing shorts and an Aston Villa 1990 home shirt. It's snowing. I'm happy enough up here. But it sure is nippy."

4.45pm: It's minus 13C in southern Poland, where David French is, minus 5C in Kansas City (Ja Morris) and a "mere minus 4C in Oslo," according to Peter Richards. That is the cold news.

4.46pm: Here's Peter Ranger with an email that isn't about the cold. "If the rumours are true and Spurs get rid of both Keane and Pavleychenko then I think their charge for fourth place will falter because they'll sign a rubbish replacement and Defoe will get injured. Admittedly, my fortune telling is generally rubbish (putting a tenner e/w on Tranmere to get promoted two weeks before they appointed John Barnes) but I think/hope Spurs mess this up, as it will make Orient's relegation feel a little better. Also who will be sacked first Hughes or Benitez?" he writes. "p.s. it's about 20C in my front room currently."

4.47pm: A chance for Blackburn, fashioned by Morten Gamst Pedersen (remember him?) but the home side can't steer it home. It's now Rangers 6-1 Motherwell. Sorry, don't have any details. Sounds good though, eh? Bet you wish I did have details. But I don't. What are you going to do about it?

4.49pm: Sidwell misses a good chance to wrap things up for Villa. Here's Gene Salorio, who is doing a better job at keeping up with the World Club Cup than me: "Sitting here in very cold New England awaiting arrival of a blizzard, I am watching World Club Championship in Dubai and dreaming of what looks to be very balmy weather there. Barcelona just had a pretty good penalty shout waived off, and talking about 50 year anniversaries (Shankley), Estudiantes de la Plata look like they are channeling their thug team of that era."

4.50pm: Dart and Burnton are wining The Race To The Tenner, with wildly inaccurate predictions. The flaws in this game are becoming apparent - most notably my total lack of skill at it.

4.50pm: An own goal has made it Charlton 4-3 Millwall. South London will be a war zone tonight.

4.51pm: Gareth Barry has just taken Michael Turner's elbow to the face, which means the Sunderland player has been given a red. Steve Bruce is doing his nut.

RESULT Fulham 3-0 Manchester United. What a brilliant result for Fulham. Incidentally, it won't be a war zone in South London tonight, well hopefully not anyway. The two teams, Millwall and Charton, have given up their shirt sponsors for the day but have instead got badges on in support of two murdered teenagers. Apologies, that's just been brough to my attention, which is not much of an excuse admittedly.

4.55pm: "That was the worst United performance in the last 20 years," writes Harris, an ex-Mancunian watching in Sweden.

4.56pm: There's been a goal at The Valley ... it's Charlton 4-4 Millwall!

4.57pm: Sorry technical issues have been in operation. Some results for you:Aston Villa 1-0 StokeBlackburn 0-2 TottenhamManchester City 4-3 Sunderland

4.58pm: Mark Hughes stomps off the pitch with a very sour look on his face. If the rumours are true, this could be his last game in charge as Roberto Mancini reportedly hovers in the wings.

5.02pm: "re. Gene Salorio (4.49) The Club World Cup is in Abu Dhabi, not Dubai. However, the temperature tonight in both is about 20C. It still feels cold, but that's 'cos it hits the high 40s even 50s in the long long summers." So there.

5.02pm: "Does anyone think that Mick McCarthy might have missed a trick on Tuesday?" asks David Wall. "If he'd actually tried to attack United then, judging by their defence against Villa and today at Fulham, they'd have had a decent chance of a win." It's an interesting point. But United were at home for the Wolves game, so that was a factor in McCarthy's decision. Fulham probably have a better first team than Wolves do, too, so it's likely it would have made little difference for McCarthy's men.

5.09pm: Well, then, what a day in the league. You can't help but feel the big winners today are Chelsea. Portsmouth are still bottom despite their win, Fulham remain in ninth, despite their win but Chelsea could go six points clear tomorrow against a weak West Ham side. Meanwhile, Fergie will be doing his nut, Rafa is hanging on, and Mark Hughes may be gone by tonight. Phew.